Egypt's four mobile operators are opening their stores to customers for unified, reduced hours under the night-time curfew the country imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) said. The 7 pm to 6 am curfew, in effect for two weeks starting Wednesday, was announced on Tuesday. The shops of the four mobile operators - Orange, Vodafone, Etisalat and WE, are opening from 8.30 am until 4.30 pm, the NTRA said. The new decision is part of efforts to ensure that companies continue to "provide telecommunications services to citizens while committing to implementing the state's plan to limit the spread of the coronavirus," the authority said in a statement on Wednesday. Under the curfew, shops other than food markets, bakeries, and pharmacies are required to close at 5 pm on weekdays and to completely shut down during weekends. All mass public and private transport are also suspended during the curfew hours. Egypt has so far registered 402 coronavirus cases, including 20 fatalities.
